Celebrity Psychingshttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity
A blog about the intersection of mental health, psychology and celebrities by Alicia Sparks.Sun, 04 Feb 2018 13:54:53 +0000en-UShourly1Abby Lee Miller Focused on Improving Self From Prisonhttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/abby-lee-miller-focused-on-improving-self-from-prison/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/abby-lee-miller-focused-on-improving-self-from-prison/#respondTue, 30 Jan 2018 18:51:08 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10860After years of shocking (and entertaining) Dance Moms viewers, the world was stunned when dance instructor, Abby Lee Miller, was sent to jail for bankruptcy fraud. While many outlets shared videos […]]]>

After years of shocking (and entertaining) Dance Moms viewers, the world was stunned when dance instructor, Abby Lee Miller, was sent to jail for bankruptcy fraud. While many outlets shared videos of her openly weeping as she reported to jail to serve her one year and one day sentence, a recent update shows that she’s actually doing well.

Miller, who has been incarcerated for six months now, posted a photo of herself on Instagram Sunday wearing a prison uniform as she spent time with some of her visitors. Immediately, it’s obvious that she’s lost a considerable amount of weight but there’s more to it than that. The woman who became famous for her angry outbursts looks incredibly happy in the picture.

For clarity, Miller included the following caption:

Sometimes in life you make mistakes I trusted the wrong people and didn’t pay any attention to things I should of. I’m more than sorry for the mistakes I have made.

My world flipped upside down when I had to enter prison. I did so with grace, the stories you read about me been a princess are untrue. I have made friends with both inmates and staff, I’ve tried to better myself, participated in anything offered to me and I am a better person for this experience.

All the press stories and speculation are not entirely correct however, I am feeling hopeful but no dates have been confirmed at this time.

I am feeling great and ready to turn over a new leaf thank you so much to everyone for your support especially my nearest and dearest I love you all ( and yes this is me in prison )#abbyleemiller#abbylee#dancemoms#dance#aldc

The 51-year-old has been in the Victorville Federal Correctional Institution in California since July 2017 and is, reportedly, feeling “great” after losing about 100lbs. While she had expressed fear that she might be beaten or raped in prison, she also seemed ready to accept responsibility for her actions. “I made mistakes and I trusted people, but ultimately I have to take responsibility,” she said.

As she mentioned in her caption, no dates for her release have been confirmed but it is widely speculated that she could leave prison sometime in February 2018.

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/abby-lee-miller-focused-on-improving-self-from-prison/feed/0Alaskan Bush People Star Ami Brown Shares Incredible Cancer Storyhttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/alaskan-bush-people-star-ami-brown-shares-incredible-cancer-story/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/alaskan-bush-people-star-ami-brown-shares-incredible-cancer-story/#respondMon, 29 Jan 2018 17:50:21 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10849In case you missed this story earlier this month, Alaskan Bush People matriarch, Ami Brown, faced seemingly insurmountable odds after being diagnosed with advanced lung cancer last year but, now, in time for this new year, all signs of cancer have disappeared.

Positive Outlook

Initially, the 54-year-old was given a 3% chance of survival but refused to give up hope. As she underwent months of painful radiation and chemotherapy treatments, she was determined to be a survivor. When it was finally time for her latest scan on December 21, 2017, she was ready. “I was expecting great news,” she said. “I could just feel it.”

Brown, and her husband, Billy, left rural Alaska last year and relocated to Southern California so that she could receive treatment. The mother of seven found herself struggling to eat and, at one point, weighed a life-threatening 77 lbs. Today, she’s a different woman.

Regaining Strength

Weighing a much healthier 104lbs, Brown says that she wakes up in the middle of the night to eat snacks. She says that she’s still feeling weak but has a renewed appreciation for her ability to eat.

“My last treatment was December 7 and it took about a month for the pain to go away,” she explained. “It was so bad and the radiation treatment hurt so badly. To take a sip of water just hurt so bad and I couldn’t eat anything. It progressed in strength, the hurting. I went from ice cream and mashed potatoes and stuff to nothing at all. I’d like to develop a protein sucker for people. But now I’m so hungry. I used to not be a big food person but now I am so appreciative of food.”

Staying Strong

The reality television star explained that the entire process was emotional but that, ultimately, seeing caregivers fill treatment rooms up with such “sincere love and hope” was a gift from God.

“Just this past week I was thinking back about how very bad I really was,” Brown said. “Entering that road was so dark and I was fearful. You hear the words chemo and radiation and you’re staring down that dark road and I want other people to know that it’s petrifying but you need to keep a little light. I hope they can see that I made it through and that gives them hope. It’s very scary but I never gave up hope.”

As for her stunning recovery, Brown gives the credit to a higher power. “You have to stay positive and keep God with you because he really does perform miracles. In fact, I’ve allowed the University of California, Los Angeles to use my medical records for a case study because they hadn’t really run into my situation before.”

Regular Checkups

For the rest of her life, Brown will need to be evaluated every three months to ensure that the cancer has not returned. She’s accepted this reality but also places emphasis on the positives. “I want to encourage people to enjoy every moment and walk every moment with God because he knows what it’s about. Never give up faith.”

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/alaskan-bush-people-star-ami-brown-shares-incredible-cancer-story/feed/0Nicole Kidman Confronts Ageism at SAG Awardshttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/nicole-kidman-confronts-ageism-at-sag-awards/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/nicole-kidman-confronts-ageism-at-sag-awards/#respondMon, 22 Jan 2018 18:50:44 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10857Last night, Nicole Kidman won the Best Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series award for her performance in Big Little Lies and, during her emotional acceptance speech, she touched on how things have changed for actresses over the years and what she hopes to see in the future.

The 50-year-old mother of four tearfully addressed several other nominated actresses she admires including Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange and Meryl Streep saying, “I want to thank you all for your trailblazing performances you have given over your career and how wonderful it is that our careers today can go beyond 40 years old. Because 20 years ago, we were pretty washed up by this stage in our lives, so that’s not the case now. We have proven and these actresses and so many more are proving that we are potent and powerful and viable.”

She’s definitely got a point. Not too long ago, an actress in her 30s could only hope to get “mature” parts reserved for supporting roles. Now, we’re seeing women in their 40s and 50s easily commanding the screen and it’s clear that the industry (and expectations of the audience) is changing.

“I just beg that the industry stays behind us because our stories are finally being told,” Kidman continued. “It’s only the beginning and I’m so proud to be a part of a community that is instigating this change, but I implore the writers, directors, studios and financiers to put passion and money behind our stories. We’ve proven that we can continue to do this but only with the support of the industry and that money and passion.”

Kidman definitely raises an important issue. Stories focusing around middle-aged women definitely weren’t seen as lucrative but, as her close friend Reese Witherspoon has demonstrated, that has begun to shift. Despite her obvious star power, Witherspoon found it difficult to get backing for movies intended portraying strong women in lead roles, she she started her own company – Pacific Standard.

To-date she’s been very successful having produced acclaimed films such as Wild and Gone Girl, as well as the award-winning television show, Big Little Lies. As she and actresses such as Kidman continue to trailblaze, we can expect the landscape to look very difficult (and a lot more welcoming) for the next generation.

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/nicole-kidman-confronts-ageism-at-sag-awards/feed/0Pete Wentz: Family Support Helps Him Manage Bipolar Disorderhttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/pete-wentz-family-support-helps-him-manage-bipolar-disorder/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/pete-wentz-family-support-helps-him-manage-bipolar-disorder/#respondMon, 22 Jan 2018 17:46:26 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10845Pete Wentz has always been open about living with bipolar disorder and, recently, he opened up a bit more about how he’s finding ways to manage his symptoms while continuing to work and be a committed partner and father.

The Fall Out Boy bassist told People, “Living with purpose and having a schedule with my family has brought me balance. I think it can be different for everyone, but for me, just being able to talk through things, meditate and exercise has been helpful.”

Indeed, having a full schedule seems to be something that is important to the musician. When the band went on hiatus in 2009, Wentz sank into a deep depression and, ultimately, he and his then-wife, Ashlee Simpson, ended up divorcing in 2011.

In a 2015 interview with Howard Stern, Wentz explained, “We had all these great years as a band, and then we took time off and I basically became Mr. Mom. I had the beard, the flannel shirt. I didn’t know what my identity was … when your identity is what you do, it’s hard when you stop doing it. It was the first time where I was like, ‘Well, no one’s really taking my picture. I’m just basically hanging out with my kid all day. Who cares?’ I think when you stop caring about … your personal hygiene, it makes you even more depressed, but it makes you do it more.”

Now, a healthier seeming Wentz is currently on world tour to support his band’s newest album, Mania, while keeping up with his two sons, Bronx Mowgli, 9 (whom he shares with Simpson) and Saint Lazslo, 3. He and his partner, Meagan Camper, are also expecting a baby girl sometime this spring.

While Wentz has said that he does not take medication, he did say, “I went to therapy … but I think the idea that there’s a one size fits all [solution] is one of those myths. Everybody figures themselves out in a different way.”

Fortunately, it seems like he’s found a strategy that works for him and his family. It’s great that he’s sharing his message so that others can learn from his example.

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/pete-wentz-family-support-helps-him-manage-bipolar-disorder/feed/0Catherine Deneuve Believes the Anti-Sexual Harassment Movement is a “Witch Hunt”https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/catherine-deneuve-believes-the-anti-sexual-harassment-movement-is-a-witch-hunt/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/catherine-deneuve-believes-the-anti-sexual-harassment-movement-is-a-witch-hunt/#respondTue, 09 Jan 2018 23:15:16 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10839As much of the world appears to be taking a stand against sexual harassment, especially in Hollywood, some people have an entirely different opinion of the movement. Among them is French actress, Catherine Deneuve.

Long hailed as a sex symbol, Deneuve could easily be among the chorus of voices claiming to be objectified and marginalized but, instead, she’s signed an open letter calling the movement a “witch-hunt” against men.

Slamming the #MeToo momentum, Deneuve, along with nearly 100 actresses, writers, and academics penned their names to the document that said: “Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or cack-handedly, is not – nor is men being gentlemanly a macho attack. Men have been punished summarily, forced out of their jobs when all they did was touch someone’s knee or try to steal a kiss.”

Published in the French newspaper Le Monde, the letter goes on to say that the scandals are threatening “sexual liberty” and taking on a “hatred of men” mentality before adding:

“What began as freeing women up to speak has today turned into the opposite – we intimidate people into speaking ‘correctly’, shout down those who don’t fall into line, and those women who refused to bend [to the new realities] are regarded as complicit and traitors. Instead of helping women this frenzy to send these (male chauvinist) ‘pigs’ to the abattoir actually helps the enemies of sexual liberty – religious extremists and the worst sort of reactionaries.”

Further, the letter insists that women should not automatically be labelled victims and are “sufficiently aware that the sexual urge is by its nature wild and aggressive. But we are also clear-eyed enough not to confuse an awkward attempt to pick someone up with a sexual attack.”

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has been set up for the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. So far, ithas raised more than $15 million for a legal defense fund for people who have experienced workplace harassment.

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/catherine-deneuve-believes-the-anti-sexual-harassment-movement-is-a-witch-hunt/feed/0Demo Lovato’s New Year’s Resolution is All About Self Lovehttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/demo-lovatos-new-years-resolution-is-all-about-self-love/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/demo-lovatos-new-years-resolution-is-all-about-self-love/#respondThu, 04 Jan 2018 16:45:13 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10834For 2018, Demi Lovato has a clear goal – to love herself. At 25, shes’ working hard in her recovery from an eating disorder and her need to be “perfect” all the time. Considering the spotlight she’s under, it must be incredibly difficult when media outlets and commenters on social media always have something negative to say.

Sharing a photo of herself on the beach, Lovato wrote: “So, I’m insecure about my legs in this picture but I’m posting it because I look so happy and this year I’ve decided I’m letting go of my perfectionism and embracing freedom from self criticism. Learning to love my body the way it is is challenging but life changing.”

The singer/actress makes sure, though, to explain that this hasn’t been an easy process. As with anyone living with an eating disorder, Lovato has had to remain committed and vigilant as she works on herself.

“Giving up my eating disorder has been the most challenging journey of my life but I work every day towards solid recovery even if I mess up sometimes,” she wrote. “Today I’m feeling strong. You all can do it too. It IS possible. Thank you God for this new chapter in my life. #EDrecovery #happyAF.”

Undoubtedly, the people who can relate must appreciate her honesty. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders estimates that, at least, 30 million Americans are living with an eating disorder with someone dying every 62 minutes as a result. Lovato’s message, therefore, is an important one.

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/demo-lovatos-new-years-resolution-is-all-about-self-love/feed/0Carrie Underwood Has Been Privately Coping with Facial Injurieshttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/carrie-underwood-has-been-privately-coping-with-facial-injuries/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/carrie-underwood-has-been-privately-coping-with-facial-injuries/#respondTue, 02 Jan 2018 22:22:13 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10832Fans were left stunned after Carrie Underwood elaborated on injuries she sustained in a fall a couple months ago. While it was known that she broke her wrist and required surgery, there was one major thing that the singer entirely left out.

In a New Year’s eve post to her official fan club members, Underwood wrote:

“There is also another part of the story that I haven’t been ready to talk about, since I have still been living it and there has been much uncertainty as to how things will end up. It’s crazy how a freak random accident can change your life. In addition to breaking my wrist, I somehow managed to injure my face as well.”

While she goes on to explain that she’s leaving out the “gruesome details,” she did say that the surgeon had to put “between 40-50 stitches in” to her face to repair the wound. The country star goes on to say that she’s “grateful that it wasn’t much, much worse” but that she’s “still healing and not quite looking the same.”

As she prepares to head into the studio to work on her first album since 2015’s Storyteller, it’s likely that she wanted to get ahead of the story before she’s spotted by photographers. “When I am ready to get in front of a camera, I want you all to understand why I might look a bit different,” Underwood explained. “I’m hoping that, by then, the differences are minimal, but, again, I just don’t know how it’s all going to end up.”

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2018/01/carrie-underwood-has-been-privately-coping-with-facial-injuries/feed/0Mariah Carey Trying for Redemption During NYE Performancehttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2017/12/mariah-carey-trying-for-redemption-during-nye-performance/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2017/12/mariah-carey-trying-for-redemption-during-nye-performance/#respondThu, 28 Dec 2017 18:50:11 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10819Last year, Mariah Carey’s appearance on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest went viral for all the wrong reasons. While she claims that there was some sort of technical issue and that her performance for sabotaged, the production team has refuted those statements. Now, apparently, it’s redemption time.

While Carey simply said “sh*t happens,” after the public disaster went down, the show’s team said: “In very rare instances there are of course technical errors that can occur with live television, however, an initial investigation has indicated that dick clark productions had no involvement in the challenges associated with Ms. Carey’s New Year’s Eve performance.”

In January, the show’s host, Ryan Seacrest, told his radio show’s listeners, “It is difficult to perform in Times Square. [Carey] knows what Times Square is about. It’s complicated. Imagine every single TV outlet in the world was there. So, there’s all kinds of technical things going on.”

Carey and dick clark productions released a joint statement announcing her return to the lineup this year. It read: “We can all agree that last year didn’t go exactly as planned and we are thrilled to move forward together to provide America with an incredible night of music and celebration on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2018. See you in Times Square!”

This is pretty exciting for a million reasons. Let’s hope everything goes off without a hitch and Carey can start 2018 on a high note (pun definitely intended).

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2017/12/mariah-carey-trying-for-redemption-during-nye-performance/feed/0Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner Spent Holidays Together With Kidshttps://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2017/12/ben-affleck-and-jennifer-garner-spent-holidays-together-with-kids/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2017/12/ben-affleck-and-jennifer-garner-spent-holidays-together-with-kids/#respondWed, 27 Dec 2017 19:11:22 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10823When it comes to the holiday season, many divorced parents can attest to the fact that things can get tricky. The best thing you can do, really, is put the children first and do what you can to make things comfortable and happy for them. It sounds like that’s exactly what Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner did this year.

Despite having separated in 2015 (and filing for divorce earlier this year), the pair focused on their three kids, Violet, 12, Seraphina, 8, and Samuel, 5, over the holidays.

Affleck, who continues to seek treatment for alcohol addiction, spent the day at his ex-wife’s Los Angeles home where they celebrated Christmas as a family, just as they did at Thanksgiving this year also.

The Justice League actor’s girlfriend, Saturday Night Live producer, Lindsay Shookus, with whom he shares an apartment in New York City, was not included in the festivities. It’s unclear whether she stayed on the east coast or traveled west with Affleck.

Undoubtedly, things will get more complicated as Garner and Affleck get more serious with other people (although, Garner, has said that she has no interest in dating right now) but, for now, it looks like they are doing the best they can and, really, that’s all any of us can do.

]]>https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2017/12/ben-affleck-and-jennifer-garner-spent-holidays-together-with-kids/feed/0Will Meghan Markle Face Racism from Public and Royals?https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2017/12/will-meghan-markle-face-racism-from-public-and-royals/
https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/2017/12/will-meghan-markle-face-racism-from-public-and-royals/#respondWed, 27 Dec 2017 18:39:58 +0000https://blogs.psychcentral.com/celebrity/?p=10825Ever since they announced their engagement, much has been made of the fact that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry seem to be blazing their own path. They hold hands and show affection in public. Markle was included in royal holiday events despite not being married to Harry yet – plus, she’s divorced!

What seems unremarkable to most of us can be a big deal in that family. For this reason, people have really been talking about the fact that this will be an interracial marriage – Markle’s father is Caucasian while her mother is African American.

When they first began dating, it was clear that some members of the public would be less than accepting. In fact, after Markle was subjected to racist comments on the internet, bullying, and disappointing headlines in the media, the prince actually released an official statement which, in part, read:

His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public – the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.

Some of it has been hidden from the public – the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door; the attempts of reporters and photographers to gain illegal entry to her home and the calls to police that followed; the substantial bribes offered by papers to her ex-boyfriend; the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life.

Most of us have had some sort of negative online encounter and it never feels good but this level of intrusion and harassment is unimaginable. Considering how rarely the princes reveal private details about their lives, things had to have become pretty volatile for Harry to resort to making this sort of statement.

But, it’s not just the public they must contend with…

Recently, Markle attended the annual Christmas lunch with the extended royal family for the first time. It was to be an introduction, of sorts. It’s interesting, therefore, that Princess Michael of Kent, who will live in close proximity to Harry and Markle after they are married, chose to wear a piece of jewelry that many have deemed offensive.

After she was pictured wearing a controversial blackamoor brooch (a style of jewelry that often depicts African servants and slaves in an exotic fashion and originates in 16th century Venice) to the Queen’s holiday event, one of her representatives was forced to defend the decision saying: “The brooch was a gift and has been worn many times before. Princess Michael is very sorry and distressed that it has caused offense.”

While it’s important to try to give people the benefit of the doubt, Princess Michael, also known as “Princess Pushy,” has been accused of racism before. Back in 2004, she allegedly told a group of African American diners at a New York City restaurant to “go back to the colonies.”

In a strange attempt to claim she isn’t racist, she told ITV: “I even pretended years ago to be an African, a half-caste African, but because of my light eyes I did not get away with it, but I dyed my hair black. I traveled on African buses. I wanted to be a writer. I wanted experiences from Cape Town to right up in northern Mozambique. I had this adventure with these absolutely adorable, special people and to call me racist: it’s a knife through the heart because I really love these people.”

While some might accept this explanation, others might find it equally offensive that she chose to use the “I can’t be racist, I’ve got black friends!” argument.

Regardless, Harry and Meghan Markle will undoubtedly have a long road ahead of them, especially if and when they choose to have children. It’s an important step for the royal family and, hopefully, their marriage will provide an opportunity for us to continue these types of discussions while learning to embrace diversity in our society.